Sri Lanka military opens fire to contain fuel riots
Motorists protest as pumps run out of petrol, escalated situation into clash with troops
Police say clashes involving motorists erupted at three locations over the weekend, at least six constables were wounded in one clash while seven motorists were arrested. – AFP pic, June 19, 2022
COLOMBO – Sri Lanka’s military opened fire to contain rioting at a fuel station, officials said today as unprecedented queues for petrol and diesel were seen across the bankrupt country.
Troops fired in Visuvamadu, 365km north of Colombo, last night as their guard point was pelted with stones, army spokesman Nilantha Premaratne said.
“A group of 20 to 30 people pelted stones and damaged an army truck,” Premaratne told AFP.
Police said four civilians and three soldiers were wounded when the army opened fire for the first time to quell unrest linked to the worsening economic crisis.
As the pump ran out of petrol, motorists began to protest and the situation escalated into a clash with troops, police said.
Sri Lanka is suffering its worst economic crisis since independence, with the country unable to find dollars to import essentials, including food, fuel and medicines.
The nation’s 22 million population has been enduring acute shortages and long queues for scarce supplies while President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has for months resisted calls to step down over mismanagement.
Sri Lanka has deployed armed police and troops to guard fuel stations.
A motorist was shot dead by police in April at the central town of Rambukkana when a clash erupted over the distribution of rationed petrol and diesel.
Police said clashes involving motorists erupted at three locations over the weekend. At least six constables were wounded in one clash while seven motorists were arrested.
The government declared a two-week shutdown of state institutions and schools in a bid to reduce commuting and conserve depleting fuel stocks in the impoverished nation.
The country is also facing record high inflation and lengthy power blackouts, all of which have contributed to months of protests.
Four out of five people in Sri Lanka have started skipping meals as they cannot afford to eat, the United Nations has said, warning of a looming “dire humanitarian crisis” with millions in need of aid.
The World Food Programme (WFP) began distributing food vouchers to about 2,000 pregnant women in Colombo’s “underserved” areas as part of “life-saving assistance” on Thursday.
The WFP is trying to raise US$60 million (RM264 million) for a food relief effort between June and December.
Sri Lanka defaulted on its US$51 billion foreign debt in April and is in talks with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout. – AFP, June 19, 2022
COLOMBO – Sri Lanka’s military opened fire to contain rioting at a fuel station, officials said today as unprecedented queues for petrol and diesel were seen across the bankrupt country.
Troops fired in Visuvamadu, 365km north of Colombo, last night as their guard point was pelted with stones, army spokesman Nilantha Premaratne said.
“A group of 20 to 30 people pelted stones and damaged an army truck,” Premaratne told AFP.
Police said four civilians and three soldiers were wounded when the army opened fire for the first time to quell unrest linked to the worsening economic crisis.
As the pump ran out of petrol, motorists began to protest and the situation escalated into a clash with troops, police said.
Sri Lanka is suffering its worst economic crisis since independence, with the country unable to find dollars to import essentials, including food, fuel and medicines.
The nation’s 22 million population has been enduring acute shortages and long queues for scarce supplies while President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has for months resisted calls to step down over mismanagement.
Sri Lanka has deployed armed police and troops to guard fuel stations.
A motorist was shot dead by police in April at the central town of Rambukkana when a clash erupted over the distribution of rationed petrol and diesel.
Police said clashes involving motorists erupted at three locations over the weekend. At least six constables were wounded in one clash while seven motorists were arrested.
The government declared a two-week shutdown of state institutions and schools in a bid to reduce commuting and conserve depleting fuel stocks in the impoverished nation.
The country is also facing record high inflation and lengthy power blackouts, all of which have contributed to months of protests.
Four out of five people in Sri Lanka have started skipping meals as they cannot afford to eat, the United Nations has said, warning of a looming “dire humanitarian crisis” with millions in need of aid.
The World Food Programme (WFP) began distributing food vouchers to about 2,000 pregnant women in Colombo’s “underserved” areas as part of “life-saving assistance” on Thursday.
The WFP is trying to raise US$60 million (RM264 million) for a food relief effort between June and December.
Sri Lanka defaulted on its US$51 billion foreign debt in April and is in talks with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout. – AFP, June 19, 2022
Correction to idiots writing - Ukraine us not in a war with Ruzia.
ReplyDeleteUkraine did not fire a single shot at any Ruzian troops prior to February 24 2022, and to this day, Ukraine has not fired a single at Ruzia - only at Invaders on Ukrainian sovereign soil.
Sri Lanka's problems today are largely of its own making, and nothing to do with the West.
Showing yr know-nothing fart AGAIN!
DeleteUS has been in war alert with Cuba/ North Korea ever since they exist!
Has Cuba/N Korea fired a single shot at any Yankee troops?
Ooop… DON'T u confused with the initiations of bay of pig invasion & the Korean war!
Yet, throughout the 200+yrs of Yankee existence, how many times had the Yankee soldierboys exercised their war carnages only at Invaders on their sovereign soil?
BTW, how did Sri Lanka fall into its current Sithole AGAIN?
Wakakaka… who & how much r its debt crises been created? Under what circumstances of trade explorations?
North Korea and Cuba are irrelevant to the issue of the Ruzian invasion of Ukraine.
DeleteNorth Korea started the Korean War by invading South Korea.
USA's measures against Cuba have been economic, not war.
The USA made it illegal for any American citizen or corporation to buy or sell from Cuba.
So ? It's not pretty but its not like firing gigantic artillery barrages or air strikes as what Ruzia is currently doing against Ukraine.
Wakakakaka…
Delete"So ? It's not pretty but its not like firing gigantic artillery barrages or air strikes"
Wow… so yr f*cking war can only be defined in terms of number of artilleries been fired!
Economic sanction DOESN'T Jill innocent civilian?
Just wait… when the current grain shortage caused by the war & trade embargo create chaos & havocs in those poor 3rd world countries!
Mmmm… do dig deeper to wallflower yr know nothingness about the 'wars' in Cuba & NKorea? Haven't I warned u?
Mfer, u r truly living in yr cozy fart filled well!
Ruzia should save lives in Sri Lanka instead of destroying Donetsk and Luhansk in order to absorb it into Ruzia
ReplyDeleteMfer, using yr know nothing logic mentioned in our previous statement, WHY should Russia save lives in Sri Lanka?
DeleteRussia has NO any visible/invisible involvements in SriLanka!
BTW, Russia definitely should safe Donbass where Donetsk and Luhansk r just two Russian speaking autonomous regions under the inhumane destructions of the Ukrainian nationalists, after 14k+ civilian deads & numerous protests.
It's ONLY proper & kindred compassion!